As generally configured: the web sling tightens around your upper arm compressing the brachial artery and resulting in an annoying pulse--for some shooters. A properly configured 1907 sling does not tighten beyond the initial setting and has a "vee" gap that relieves pressure at the critical area. I went to a leather 1907 many years ago after initially using the web sling and never looked back. Your choice... Good Shooting. ...

When the web sling pulls from the inside of the arm it creates a tourniquette. When set up to pull from the outside it won't. From the outside is how Gary Anderson teaches also and how I teach deploying. I know a number of distinguished riflemen / NRA master & high master shooters who use a web sling.

I always keep one or two in my stool and or gun case. I use one on the AR for standing and have no issue using one in any other position if I need.

That is correct. Using a web sling with the tension going over the arm instead of from under the arm will not have the tourniquet affect as bad. A bouncing pulse rarely if ever comes from the arm in prone, but from the abdomen. The same is true for sitting. Wearing pants with a loose fitting waist, or unbuttoned trousers will reduce a bouncing pulse.
The choice of sling is just a preference. I prefer the leather, but I concede that many accomplished marksmen make good use of the web sling.

No sticky thread about equipment would be complete without mentioning the rifles themselves. Most shooters start with an M1 from the CMP from one of the the grades available. I recommend a service grade, or CMP Specials for the matches, but the field and rack grade rifles can also perform very well if the stock is tight. Before the games matches were started by the CMP, it was common for most M1's, used in any competition, to be "glass bedded". Glass bedding is really a bit of hold over terminology from the days when fiberglass resin was used to return a stock back to proper fitment, but today two part epoxies are better. As stocks compress, and trunion bosses wear, armorers would stretch the service life of GI stocks by means of bedding, or adding shims. National Match team rifles were always glass bedded to improve longevity, and consistency over a whole season or more without replacing the stock. The truth is, glass bedding really just restores a rifle to the performance level expected from a well fitted new stock. I used to think of glass bedding as an accuracy enhancement, but it really isn't. The CMP rules do not allow it because of the perception of all rifles not being equal. The good news is your rack or service grade with a brand new stock will perform as well as any glass bedded rifle at 200 yards. The as issued scores of 290+ fired at Perry prove it. In the game of as issued JCG matches, the only thing that matters is that the rifle shoots as well as it can within the rules. That means that no part is sacred, or exempt from replacement for the sake of originality, or collector value. Very few people into this have only one Garand. I have limited myself to three. One is a WWII Winchester from the old DCM that remains a safe queen. One is my post war H&R Service Special for the JCG matches, and last is my .308 three lug Unlimited WWII Springfield built by Clint Fowler. They all have a specific job. You need at least one Garand that has the job of shooting matches, and winning. You can't be squeemish about replacing a barrel every 4000 rounds, or replacing the wood or any other part as needed to perform "as new". There is no recognition, or special consideration for using a rifle that is not as good as it can be for the sake of sentimental attachment to all "correct" parts. There is a legitimate place for this in collecting rifles, and many will use their 4 or 5 digit collector grade guns in the matches, but just like there is no crying in baseball, there is no crying at the range. You run the risk of not having a gun that performs as well as it could, or damaging it from rain and heavy use. keep a safe queen for taking pictures, and hunting parts if that interests you, but for the matches, have an M1 that gets you where you want to go with your shooting too.

Very spooky timing on that post Greg, because I've got an annecdote to drive your point home.

This Thursday, on the way home from work, I stopped into my local gun store. Inside was a guy with his CMP Garand he had just gotten that day. He was so upset that it came with new wood, he was trying to get the store to buy it from him. And the guy behind the counter said, "you know I love Garands, but I just think this one would sit on the rack way too long. We'd lose on it"

The dejected customer walked out the door cussing under his breath and I chased him to the parking lot. I asked to see it. It was a nice 1944 Springfield with good finish, no pitting, a 1964 shiny barrel, and brand new wood. I told him, "follow me to the atm and I'll give you $730 for it." He hemmed and hawed because he wanted to make a profit, but he gave in.

I took it home, took it apart, cleaned and greased, gave the stock some linseed oil, and did some minor fitting on the wood. Saturday, I took it to the local club match, put my usual dope on the sights, and proceeded to shoot a 288-10x, including a clean 100-4x in the rapids. It was my first clean, my best match score, and my first match win.

I'm totally in love with the rifle, and I got it because someone wanted a worn out WWII barrel, a loose and ragged WWII stock, and parts that can't be seen to be stamped with different letters. Collecting is all well and good, but remember, this is the Civilian Marksmanship Program. These rifles are supposed to be shot meaningfully. Give them a job to do.

I'm going down the list of GSM rifles to encourage all of you to experience everything the CMP Games matches have to offer. The whole ball of wax is the aggregates of 3 gun, and now 4 gun with the addition of the Modern Military rifles. In my opinion , it's the best reason (ahem...excuse) to buy more interesting old rifles, and give them a real job to do again. Get the whole set and help a new shooter by loaning a gun so they can get in the agg too.
You need a Springfield! It can be either a 1903, or 1903A3. The 1903 rifles must have a serial number over 800,000 for Springfield Armory rifles, and above 285,507 for Rock Island rifles. Anything below these numbers are "low number" rifles and are not permitted. No point in debating it. It's just the rules.
The big question is which one is best ? As far as accuracy goes, they are the same provided they have good barrels, and the stocks fit correctly. One indicator of a correctly fitted stock is to look at the receiver tang. It should be below flush behind the receiver, and have a small gap between the tang and the wood. If you have a Springfield that doesn't shoot well, it's probably the stock fit causing it.
I have seen more exploded spindles in the pits from Springfield's than any other rifle. With that being said, each time I have witnessed such amazing accuracy it is usually from an 03A3.
While the 1903 can be more precise with sight changes in elevation (only with a sight micrometer), the A3 is more precise with windage. The fact that the rear sight of the A3 is at the rear of the receiver, closer to the eye, is an advantage for the A3. No matter which one you have, I highly recommend the USMC.100 wide front sight. The super skinny standard front sight, often rounded from decades of leaning in a corner, is not conducive to front sight focus critical for high scores.
Saving rounds in the rapid string is the most common reason for not making the medal cut with the Springfield. You really have to spend time with it and practice, or you won't be ready. The critical part is the bolt lift on a spent round, and the reload from a stripper clip. Using a lighter spring in the bolt will help a lot, and get some stainless steel strippers with the flat spring that are more slippery with clean shiny ammo. Don't use brass that's been beat up from the Garand because irregularities in the rim will cause ammo to stick in the stripper. Inspect rapid fire ammo to make sure the rims are free of dents and burs, and always remember to flip the magazine switch to "on" when you hear the command "Is the line ready ?" To place in the 3 gun aggregate, you must master the Springfield. People that do can take pride, and honor the fighting men that used them to win WWI, and WWII. You can't go wrong by getting an 03A3 from Creedmoor Sports. I witnessed Dennis DeMille set the record of 297 with one of them.

Small point Greg, but RI 1903 # 386,507 is legal (I don't think l have that one) and some brainac at CMP decided that we weren't being adequately protected, so SA 1903s between 800,000 and 810,000 are (also) not legal......I do have at least one in that range. Would also mention that O3A3s have a couple common problems with rear sights sliding down under recoil and lacking solid windage "clicks". Match rifles should be checked for these issues. The front sight blade should be squared up with a file to repair damage and can be filed down (or changed) to utilize the finer clicks near the bottom of the yardage scale. Good Shooting. ...